Engaging University Students To Boost Business Sales

University students are a valuable market for businesses, and with the right strategies, businesses can effectively target this demographic to increase their sales. Understanding the preferences and behaviours of university students is essential for successful marketing campaigns. This tech-native generation values authenticity, convenience, and personalisation in their interactions with brands. Here are some ways businesses can use university students to boost sales:

- Offer student discounts and loyalty programs: Gen Z, the primary demographic of university students, faces a cost-of-living crisis, so they seek value in their purchases. By offering discounts, businesses can attract students and build brand loyalty.

- Leverage social media: University students are frequent users of social media platforms. Businesses can engage with students through social media advertising, user-generated content, and influencer partnerships.

- Provide free samples and trials: University students appreciate free stuff, so offering trials or samples can be an effective way to introduce your product or service to them.

- Host giveaways and competitions: Running giveaways or competitions can help build a social media following and engage students with your brand.

- Partner with student ambassadors: Identifying loyal student customers and providing them with ambassador kits can turn them into nano-influencers on campus, spreading word of mouth about your brand.

- Target parents: During occasions like move-in day and parents' weekend, targeting parents can be a strategic move, as students often rely on their parents for financial support.

- Engage with social causes: University students are often passionate about social justice issues. Reflecting on and contributing to these causes can make your brand more appealing to students.

Offer discounts and loyalty programs to students

University students are a valuable market for businesses, as they are a large demographic with significant spending power. They are also a relatively stable market, as they tend to remain in the same geographic location for the duration of their studies.

Offering discounts and loyalty programs to students can be an effective strategy to increase sales for businesses. Here are some ways to implement this strategy:

Targeted Discounts:

Offer exclusive discounts to students of a particular university or college. For example, you could advertise a deal like, "For a limited time, students of [University Name] get a free side with every main course." This reinforces a sense of pride in their school and makes them feel valued by the business.

Student Identification Discounts:

Provide discounts to students who present their valid student ID at the time of purchase. This can be advertised on coupon catalogs distributed on campuses or during orientation events. It is an easy way to attract students' attention and encourage them to make purchases.

Student Loyalty Programs:

Implement a loyalty program that rewards students for frequent purchases. For instance, students could earn points or stamps on a loyalty card for every purchase, which can then be redeemed for discounts or free items. This incentivizes repeat business and helps to build brand loyalty.

Birthday and Special Occasion Discounts:

Offer discounts or gifts to students on their birthdays or during special occasions, such as exam season or graduation. This makes students feel valued and appreciated by the business. It also encourages them to choose your business over competitors during these times.

Student Referral Programs:

Encourage students to refer their peers to your business. You can offer referral discounts or incentives, such as a free item or a percentage off their next purchase for each successful referral. Word-of-mouth marketing is powerful among students, and this strategy can help to quickly grow your customer base.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can effectively use university students to increase their sales and build a loyal customer base.

Engage with local universities to understand student preferences, needs and spending habits

Businesses can benefit from understanding the preferences, needs, and spending habits of university students. By engaging with local universities, businesses can gain valuable insights into this demographic and create targeted marketing strategies to increase their sales. Here are some ways to achieve this:

Market Research and Surveys

Conduct market research and surveys to understand student preferences and spending habits. Collaborate with local universities to distribute surveys or focus groups to gather insights on student spending patterns, preferences for certain products or services, and their decision-making process. This information will help you tailor your offerings and marketing campaigns effectively.

Profile Your Student Targets

Understand the diverse profiles of university students. Students at a four-year university may have different needs and buying habits from those at a two-year college. On-campus and off-campus students also vary in their preferences and purchasing behaviours. By profiling your target student segments, you can create more effective marketing strategies and increase your chances of success.

Understand Student Life and Challenges

Work with local universities to comprehend the daily life and challenges faced by students. Students often juggle academics, extracurricular activities, social lives, and financial constraints. By understanding their daily routines and challenges, you can identify opportunities to meet their needs and position your products or services as solutions to their problems.

Utilize Campus Resources

Leverage campus resources and events to connect with students. Attend career fairs, student organisation meetings, or other campus events to interact directly with students. This will help you build relationships, gain insights into student life, and promote your business. You can also utilise campus media, such as student-run newspapers, TV stations, or magazines, for advertising and reaching a wider student audience.

Offer Student Discounts and Incentives

Partner with local universities to offer exclusive student discounts or incentives. Students appreciate businesses that cater to their financial constraints. By providing special student discounts, you can attract more students to your business and increase sales. You can also collaborate with student organisations or clubs to promote your discounts and build brand awareness on campus.

Use social media to reach students

Social media is a powerful tool for businesses to reach university students and increase sales. Here are some strategies to effectively use social media to target this demographic:

• Understand your target audience: Know your target student demographic and their preferences, needs, and spending habits. This will help you create content that resonates with them and utilize the social media platforms they frequent.
• Engage with your audience: Leverage user-generated content by encouraging customers to tag your products in their posts, making it easier for you to repost and engage with their content. Spend time liking and commenting on related posts to increase your visibility and reach a wider audience.
• Utilize various social media platforms: Each social media platform caters to different audiences and offers unique opportunities for businesses. For example, create an account specifically targeting college students, such as "VillanovaDominos" or "MaybellinePHL." Additionally, platforms like TikTok and Instagram are popular among younger users and provide opportunities for creative content and influencer partnerships.
• Leverage influencers and nano-influencers: Identify and engage with student ambassadors or nano-influencers who are loyal patrons of your business. Provide them with ambassador kits, including swag and other incentives, to encourage them to promote your products to their peers.
• Create exclusive offers: University students appreciate exclusive offers, discounts, and incentives. You can partner with universities to offer discounts to students who provide their student IDs. This will not only attract new customers but also foster brand loyalty.
• Host giveaways and competitions: Engage students by hosting giveaways, raffles, or competitions on social media. Offer tempting prizes that cater to student interests, such as speakers for parties or free food. This will help build your social following and increase engagement.
• Share valuable content: Provide informative and educational content on your social media pages. Address common questions or concerns that your target student audience may have. This establishes your brand as a valuable resource and builds trust with potential customers.
• Utilize social media advertising tools: Social media platforms offer advertising opportunities to target specific demographics. You can set a budget and target ads to reach your desired student audience. Additionally, these platforms provide analytics tools to measure the success of your campaigns and optimize your social media strategy.
• Build an online community: Create a sense of community on your social media platforms by encouraging discussions and interactions. Respond to comments and messages from your followers, fostering a positive relationship with your audience. This will increase brand loyalty and make students feel valued.

Sponsor student events to build a reputation as a student-friendly business

Sponsoring student events is a great way for businesses to build a reputation as a student-friendly brand and increase sales. Here are some ways to achieve this:

Identify the Right Events to Sponsor

Firstly, identify events that align with your brand's values and target audience. Look for events that are well-organised, have a clear purpose and are likely to attract a large number of students. Examples include orientation events, career fairs, sports competitions, cultural festivals and academic conferences.

Offer Financial Support or Products/Services

Once you've identified the event, offer financial support to the organisers. This can be in the form of a sponsorship fee, or you could provide products or services needed for the event, such as food and drinks, promotional items or equipment. This will not only help the organisers but also give you brand exposure to the student market.

Create Brand Awareness During the Event

Make your presence known during the event. Set up a booth or display your logo and branding on banners, posters or other promotional items. If possible, interact with students directly by having representatives from your company attend the event. This could be a great opportunity to showcase your products or services and get direct feedback from students.

Leverage Social Media and Digital Channels

Create a dedicated hashtag for the event and encourage students to share their experiences and photos on social media. This will increase exposure for the event and your brand. You can also live-stream or create video content during the event to further engage students and create a lasting impression.

Build Relationships with Student Organisers

Building relationships with the student organisers is crucial. These relationships can lead to future collaborations and provide insights into the student market. Ensure you maintain open communication, understand their needs and deliver on your commitments. A positive experience for the organisers will reflect well on your brand.

Follow Up with Students Post-Event

After the event, follow up with the students who attended. Send out emails or surveys to gather feedback and offer incentives, such as discounts or freebies, to those who participate. This will not only help you improve but also keep your brand at the top of their minds.

By following these steps, businesses can effectively sponsor student events and build a positive reputation among students, leading to increased sales and brand loyalty.

Make students feel valued by offering student-specific services and discounts

Making students feel valued is a great way for businesses to increase their sales. Here are some ways to achieve this through student-specific services and discounts:

Student Discounts

Student discounts are a great way to attract university students and make them feel valued. This can be a powerful tool to gain their loyalty and turn them into long-term customers. Students are often on a tight budget, so offering discounts can make your business stand out and be more appealing to this demographic.

Exclusive Promotions

Creating exclusive promotions for students can make them feel special and appreciated. For example, promotions like "For a limited time, Villanova students get free fries with every cheeseburger" or "Free fries forever" can create a sense of exclusivity and urgency.

Free Trials and Samples

University students appreciate free stuff, so offering free trials or samples can be an effective strategy to engage them. This can be done through move-in kits, sponsored study breaks, or discounts for first-time diners on food delivery apps.

Student-Specific Services

In addition to discounts, offering student-specific services can make students feel valued. For example, providing a dedicated student support line or extended return policies for students can show that your business understands their needs.

Student Ambassador Programs

Engaging student ambassadors can be a powerful way to make students feel valued and create a community around your brand. Identify loyal student customers and provide them with ambassador kits, including swag like t-shirts and water bottles. Encourage them to share your products with their peers and give them referral discounts to spread the word.

Student-Friendly Payment Options

Understanding the financial constraints of students and offering flexible payment options can make your business more appealing to this demographic. For example, offering a student subscription plan with discounted rates or partnering with student discount platforms like UNiDAYS and Student Beans can show that you value their business.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can effectively make students feel valued and increase their sales by tapping into the powerful university student market.

Frequently asked questions